The Perfect Deck
by x3Air
Summary: Ren uses vanguard decks to convey the image of a relationship to Misaki. Ren x Misaki. Oneshot


AN: Hi all :D It's me again, and yes I decided to start another fic since I'm still awaiting response from my other fanfiction.

This is probably like, the first Ren x Misaki fic on this site? ._. I don't recall seeing another one around, but if there is one, i'm sorry! Anyway, this is another one of my favorite pairings in vanguard, I think they'll go really cute together, so this is my take on how they would get their relationship started or something along that line 8'D Hopefully they aren't OOC here, I did my best QAQ

So uhm, as usual, please comment and let me know what you think, constructive criticism is welcomed :D I may or may not continue this, it depends as I originally wished it to be a oneshot, but I may do a second chapter to elaborate their relationship. So yeah... :3

Thanks again!

- Air

* * *

It was the late evening, almost close to eight.

In a peaceful neighbourhood, everyone was living their lives as usual. Teenagers have just returned back from late night activities, mothers were cooking and fathers were watching television. Nothing could possibly be strange or wrong for anyone at the moment, or at least, for most of the people living here.

In the apartment above a small cardshop tucked away cosily in a corner, Misaki stared at the phone, the same way, just less bewildered, that she did this afternoon when an unexpected call came in.

At much as she hated to admit that she was confused at the moment, Tokura Misaki was rarely caught off guard at any time, she was confused now. Like, really confused, she wasn't even kidding about this.

What could Suzugamori Ren possibly want with her at eight pm at night?

Recalling today, it was pretty normal really. She had finished school, and then went over to the cardshop to work. Then she had played with Aichi and won Kamui a few times, before she decided to retreat to her apartment to finish her school work and rest a little. After finishing her work, she was planning to take a short nap, physical education really took the most out of her today, but then suddenly her mobile phone rang with an unknown number.

Picking up, she cautiously issued a greeting, before she instantly recognized the voice on the other side of the line and sat up straight, eyes wide.

"Suzugamori Ren?" She had asked in surprise.

"I told you that you could just call me Ren, Misa-ki." The other cheerfully replied, confirming her thoughts.

"It's Misaki!" She had retorted automatically, her surprised expression changing to annoyance. "So, what do you want?"

"Don't be so straightforward," Ren's tone sounded playfully disappointed. "I just wanted to ask you if you were free to meet up tonight, at the park at let's say… Eight?"

Misaki raised an eyebrow. "It shouldn't be a problem, but what for?"

"That's great, you'll find out later!" He sang, "see ya!"

"Eh wait!" She had protested, but the latter had already hung up and she was left with the bleeping sound.

Misaki couldn't think of what Ren would want with her, they hardly talked really. She remembered making some sort of interaction with him during the summer training camp, but that was really it though. They saw each other at tournaments but never talked, and due to this lack of communication, she didn't know much about him. Other than the fact that he can cook, is friendly to the point of letting a stranger like her call him by his first name and doing the same to her, and that Asaka looks up to him like an idol or something, she didn't know much.

She glanced at the clock, it was ten minutes to eight.

Sighing, she got up from her desk and quickly put on her coat. No point continuing to wonder about things, she may as well just hear the reason from the person himself.

* * *

Ten minutes later, she arrived at the park.

The night was dark, the moon having hidden away somewhere behind the clouds, and it was good the park lights were on, or else it would be pitch black. The park seemed so different at night from the day, insects buzzed around the lighted lamps and crickets chorused together continuously. The fountain at the centre of the park was still, and the area was pretty deserted except for one homeless man sleeping on the park bench.

Misaki approached the ragged man. Although usually she didn't show any sympathy for these people, she didn't want people to know that she had some sort of a soft side for things, whatever they may be; it seemed fine to be pitiful tonight, since no one was around. Taking out all the change she had with her, she quietly tucked them into the guy's pocket. She didn't know if the little money she had given him would make much of a difference, but hopefully it would.

"Heh, I didn't expect you to be the sympathetic kind, although I had a hunch about it." A soft whisper chuckled at a dangerously close distance from her ear.

Misaki jumped, but managed to hold a startled sound, apparently he had arrived already.

"I-it's not like I wanted to help him or anything!" She defended as they walked together away to another quiet spot. "I just had some spare change on me so…"

"Yup yup, I know." Ren agreed cheerfully, obviously not buying her reasoning.

"A-anyway, why did you call me out here?" Misaki quickly continued, throwing a glare at the other.

Ren seemed to stop smiling so widely at that question, almost as if he forgot the reason he called her out for until she mentioned it. There was a moment of silence as she allowed the other to gather his thoughts, he looked a little nervous, and his expression was almost embarrassed. The younger girl wondered what kind of reason he had that would make him seem this way, Ren was usually pretty bold and well, Suzugamori Ren never got nervous or shy.

"Well…" He started slowly as he scratched the back of his head and gave her a small smile.

Misaki raised an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look, encouraging him to go on.

"Aha, well, this is kind of hard to say, but well, I kind of like you, Misaki." Ren grinned sheepishly.

This took a moment to process.

Maybe two because of the fact that he had just called her properly.

"Excuse me?" Misaki had asked after a moment of total silence, thinking that somehow, one way or another, she had heard the other incorrectly.

After all, not only do they not know each other well enough to actually have feelings for each other and are total, if not, somewhat strangers, she had heard Kai confirm that Ren and Asaka were currently dating. Although that was before the Asia Circuit, surely they were still holding strong, especially with Asaka's personality.

"I like you Misaki, will you go out with me?" Ren repeated, a little more confidently this time.

"Well, uhm, wait, weren't Asaka and you dating…?" The younger girl questioned hurriedly, trying to hide the fact that she was flustered.

Ren blinked for a moment, seeming surprised that she knew about it. "Oh about that, it didn't really work out after all…" He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I had feelings for Asaka, but somehow…"

It was Misaki's turn to be surprised. "What happened?"

"Well, let's just say that she wasn't my type of vanguard deck." He smiled sadly.

"Sorry?"

Ren laughed a little. "Don't you find vanguard sort of like the simpler version of relationships?"

"Well somewhat, but it's different." Misaki frowned. A relationship between a person and another person, that was different from someone's relationship with their vanguard deck. The feelings were different too.

"It isn't really that different really." The other raised his index finger in the air to make a point. "In a relationship, you start alone, and then you start dating people that you find attractive. However, at some point, you might discover that there're some things about that person that you can't tolerate, you learn more about yourself, what you want and what you don't want, and eventually you move on until you find your match."

"Vanguard is also like that. Remember I told you at the summer camp about trying out other clans?" Ren tilted his head questioningly.

Misaki nodded although she was still frowning, "You told me that it would help me understand my own clan better and that perhaps there might be another clan for me."

"Isn't dating like that?" Ren smiled before continuing, "You date someone, and then maybe realize there's something wrong with the relationship, realize that you might not want a certain trait in your partner, move on, and continue until you find your perfect person."

"It makes sense but, a relationship between a person and another person is so much more difficult than finding the perfect vanguard deck for yourself." Misaki protested. There're twenty two clans at the moment, but comparing that to a whopping seven billion people in the world, the figure was really nothing.

"True, that's why I said it was the simpler version of a relationship." Ren pointed out before continuing. "At first, everything went okay, but then I kind of got tired of Asaka, constantly treating me like a person of an upper class then her, constantly serving me and the like."

"I'm not saying that she's a bad girlfriend or anything like that, it's just that I would prefer my girlfriend to treat me like a boyfriend, her boyfriend, not an idol or something." The red haired boy paused, his dark wine red eyes glancing at Misaki, "we broke up quite a while ago actually, and then I got to know you."

Misaki seemed to falter a little as she watched him move closer to her. She may have thought that Ren was cute and a nice guy at certain times, may have wondered about what it would be like to be romantically involved with him, but those were just daydreams due to hormonal issues. She didn't really think of Ren in that sort of way, did she?

He smiled at her gently, "I like the way you're constantly so independent, and that you treat everyone equally no matter of what status they are. You're not biased, kind and vulnerable at times, as much as you don't want to admit it."

Ren paused for a moment before he gave her a sheepish grin again, this time making her heart do a flip. "It's okay to be weak you know, Misaki, its normal for people to be weak at times… I just want to protect that side of you that's weak, as silly as it may seem."

"I, well, uh, well, I-I don't really know…" The younger girl stammered, feeling heat gather in her cheeks at the close distance between them.

"I know that you're unsure, this is your first relationship no?" Ren smiled at her fondly again. "I'm just asking for a chance to try things out, and even if I'm not the vanguard deck for you, I could be a stepping stone to learning what you might want or not want in life."

Misaki looked down for a moment. She didn't really know if this would be the right thing to do, and the way that Ren put it, it made it seem like she was making use of him somehow, and she didn't really like that. Although, she had to admit that Ren wasn't really that bad of a guy, he was kind and friendly, easy to get along with. He was patient as well, probably what she would want in a boy with a personality like hers. He was rather cute, and she was sure that he would protect her in any circumstance.

Perhaps it was okay to try out? After all, it was just trying…

"I-I guess it'll be fair to say that I've some feelings of the sort towards you too…" Misaki coughed, looking away. "I just ask that we keep this a secret, I don't want people to know."

Looking up, she was just in time to see Ren's expression change from worry, to a softer expression.

"Yeah okay, that's fine." He murmured, pulling her closer to him. She sucked in a sharp breath, not expecting the physical contact, but eventually relaxed into his hug. "I'm glad, Misaki."

"J-just know that it's not like I really like you to a large extent okay?" The younger girl huffed as the new couple embraced.

"Yup yup, I know." Ren smiled cheerfully as they separated. "I know, Misa-ki~" He sang, back to his old self.

"It's Misa-kff!"

"Okay?" Ren asked playfully as they parted again, releasing Misaki's chin from his grasp.

"…I refuse."


End file.
